Bhagavad Gita World

Names of Krishna

The Shri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali (108 names) and the meaning and stories behind His best-known names.

  • Shri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali (108 Names) – The 108 holy names of Lord Krishna with their meanings — for worship, archana and chanting.
  • Krishna — The Dark, All-Attractive Lord – The name "Krishna" means the dark-hued one and the one who draws all hearts to himself. It was given by the sage Garga at the naming ceremony in Gokul.
  • Govinda — Delight of the Cows and the Senses – After the lifting of Govardhan, the divine cow Surabhi and Indra bathed the Lord and named him "Govinda". The name speaks of the one who delights and protects the cows, the earth and the senses.
  • Gopala — The Cowherd Protector – "Gopala" recalls the cowherd boy of Vraja who grazed and guarded the cows. The Laddu Gopal worshipped in countless homes is a loving form of this name.
  • Damodara — The Lord Bound by a Rope – Mother Yashoda tied the mischievous child to a grinding mortar, and he became "Damodara". The name shows that the infinite Lord can be bound only by the rope of love.
  • Madhava — Consort of Lakshmi, Pride of the Madhu Line – "Madhava" means the husband of Lakshmi (Ma) and also the descendant of Madhu. The name joins the Lord's sweetness with his divine majesty.
  • Keshava — Slayer of Keshi, Lord of Beautiful Hair – "Keshava" has two traditional meanings: the slayer of the horse-demon Keshi, and the one with beautiful flowing hair. It is the first of Vishnu's twelve principal names.
  • Madhusudana — Slayer of the Demon Madhu – At the dawn of creation Lord Vishnu destroyed the demons Madhu and Kaitabha, and so he is called "Madhusudana". Arjuna uses this name many times in the Gita.
  • Murari — Enemy of the Demon Mura – By slaying Mura, the five-headed demon who guarded Narakasura's city, Krishna became "Murari". The name recalls the Lord's valour in protecting the helpless.
  • Hrishikesha — Master of the Senses – "Hrishikesha" means the master of all the senses. In the Gita both Sanjaya and Arjuna refer to the Lord by this name.
  • Achyuta — The Infallible One – "Achyuta" means the one who never falls from his nature, his word or his devotees. Arjuna uses this name when he asks Krishna to drive the chariot between the armies.
  • Vasudeva — Son of Vasudeva, the All-Pervading Lord – "Vasudeva" means the son of Vasudeva, and also the Supreme who dwells in all beings. The twelve-syllable mantra "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" is built on this name.
  • Mukunda — Giver of Liberation – "Mukunda" means the one who grants liberation. Hymns such as Kulashekhara Alvar's "Mukundamala" sing the glory of this name.
  • Giridhari — Holder of the Mountain – Krishna, who held up Govardhan hill for seven days to shield Vraja from Indra's storm, is called "Giridhari" or "Girdhar". He is the "Girdhar Gopal" of Meerabai's devotion.
  • Shyam and Kanha — The Names of Intimate Love – "Shyam" names the Lord's dark beauty, and "Kanha" or "Kanhaiya" is Vraja's affectionate form of "Krishna". These are the names that come first to devotees who feel the Lord is their very own.
  • Banke Bihari — The Graceful Enjoyer of Vrindavan – "Banke Bihari" is the Lord who stands gracefully bent in three places (tribhanga) and delights in divine play. His famous temple in Vrindavan houses the deity revealed through the devotion of Swami Haridas.
  • Ranchhod — The Lord Who Left the Battlefield – Krishna came to be called "Ranchhod" for leaving the battlefield at Mathura to protect his people from Jarasandha and Kalayavana. At Dakor in Gujarat he is worshipped as Ranchhodrai.
  • Dwarkadhish — King of Dwarka – As lord of the golden city he raised in the sea, Krishna is called "Dwarkadhish". The Dwarkadhish temple in Gujarat is one of the four great dhams.
  • Parthasarathi — Charioteer of Arjuna – Krishna, who vowed not to take up arms at Kurukshetra and instead drove Arjuna's chariot, is called "Parthasarathi". It was on this chariot that he spoke the Bhagavad Gita.
  • Yogeshwara — Lord of Yoga – "Yogeshwara" means the supreme master of yoga. In the last verse of the Gita, Sanjaya declares that wherever Yogeshwara Krishna and the archer Arjuna are, there are fortune, victory and righteousness.
  • Jagannath — Lord of the Universe – "Jagannath" means the Lord of the whole universe. At Puri he is worshipped with Balabhadra and Subhadra, and his Rath Yatra is famous throughout the world.
  • Shrinathji — The Govardhan-Lifting Lord of Nathdwara – Shrinathji is the form of Krishna with the left arm raised, holding up Govardhan. As the principal deity of Pushtimarg, he is enthroned at Nathdwara in Rajasthan.
  • Thakorji — The Beloved Lord of the Home – "Thakorji" is the loving name by which Gujarati and Pushtimarg families address the form of Krishna who lives in their home. He is served as the dearest member of the household.